We hope that you and your loved ones remain safe during these challenging times. The wellbeing of our employees and customers is always at the forefront of our thoughts and so, in accordance with government guidelines, Zaytoun staff have been working from home making sure that we keep your shelves stocked with your favourite Palestinian products.

Following the export ban on Palestinian products that was imposed and then lifted last month (see the blog post below) we were overjoyed to receive shipments of new harvest olive oil and Medjoul dates, and are very happy to report that we’re well-stocked across our product lines.

In Palestine, our friends and suppliers have been under lockdown since Sunday night in line with the latest coronavirus advice issued by the Palestinian Authority to help keep everyone safe, and they are grateful for your support during this difficult period. Every one of our suppliers, both in the UK and in Palestine, has assured us that they’re following the social distancing and hygiene practices to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Traidcraft is receiving a higher than normal volume of orders and their phenomenal warehouse team are working around the clock to make that business runs as normal. We ask you to be patient with them and with us during this period.

We'd like to give a big shout out to Medical Aid for Palestinians and the PCRF who are doing incredible work on the ground in Palestine. Please support them if you can.

For updates on a rapidly changing situation - both here and in Palestine - please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media using the icons on the top of the website.

We are living through unprecedented times and our thoughts are with all those who are most impacted: the sick, the elderly, the vulnerable, small businesses who can no longer operate, and last but not least our heroic health and social workers. This is a time of tough decisions for us all and we can still make choices that will be beneficial. Hopefully we will come out of this difficult phase as a kinder nation and that we will be more connected with our neighbours and communities.

Please do get in touch via email if you have any queries and we will respond to you as quickly as we can.

Take care of yourselves and each other. Stay healthy and safe (and sane!)

Thank you to everyone who contacted us and who lobbied their MP with their concerns about the recent export ban on Palestinian goods. Our suppliers have confirmed that they have been able to export goods in recent days. Our container carrying new harvest olive oil has crossed the checkpoint and has now shipped from Haifa. Our Medjoul date suppliers have also succeeded in getting shipments out which is a relief; there had been a risk of missing the time specific sales peak of Ramadan.

While we are relieved, the issue remains that it is extraordinary that an entire nation’s agricultural export activity can be brought to a complete halt by another nation’s military apparatus. For that reason, we will continue working closely with Oxfam and the Fairtrade Foundation to raise this issue with government bodies asking them to defend the interests of UK bilateral trade with Palestine.

It is also a concern that the ban was under-reported in the media and, as we have seen from the clo...

As a UK business which imports Palestinian produce, we are extremely concerned at the news over the weekend that Israel has imposed increased travel restrictions on trucks carrying Palestinian agricultural products bound for export.

With over 15 years’ experience of trading with Palestine, we know our suppliers and their situation well. We have been talking to them over the weekend, and they are hoping that this disruption will be temporary. However if it does continue, we will be asking the British government for guidance and support to ensure the Israeli blocks do not disrupt the growing trade between the UK and Palestine.

During 2019, Zaytoun made sales of nearly £1.5 million to UK wholesalers and retailers. This year we expect to import and sell similar quantities of Palestinian produce, and nearly 25% of these sales are dependent on shipments of Medjoul dates arriving in time to be sold and distributed ahead of Ramadan. It is therefore imperative that trading blocks are remo...